These are two of the last recordings the 95­year­old Stokowski made in London (the Bizet Symphony was to follow) in the final months of his Indian summer in the studio before he died. He had a first­class orchestra of London’s finest players at his disposal: he kept them on their toes‚ and the results are electrifying‚ full of charisma‚ vitality and warmth. In his original Gramophone review‚ Edward Greenfield described the Brahms as ‘a refresh­ing performance which effectively puts down any idea of Stokowski as an over­romantic Brahmsian’ – for all his ‘free use of rubato’. Indeed that rubato is ever natural sounding and used spontaneously to ease in each new section of a movement‚ with the structure remaining firm. How beautiful‚ for instance‚ is the reprise of the main theme of the Allegretto on the strings. Above all this is a performance of affectionate warmth and power‚ with the conductor’s grip never wavering‚ so that in the final coda‚ after a glorious restatement of the finale’s second subject‚ no accelerando is needed‚ the brass ringing out to make a superbly brilliant and sonorous culmination. The concert hall balance‚ without spotlighting‚ is ideal for Brahms‚ the sound full­bodied with glorious strings‚ and with much greater weight and impact than on LP. Mendelssohn’s Italian is even more direct‚ with fizzing outer movements‚ exhilarating yet with never any sense of hurry. The inner movements too‚ are perfectly paced‚ the Andante a beautifully judged con moto‚ elegant yet gently touching‚ the horns magically lighting up the Trio of the Minuet. Again and again one notices the conductor’s ear for detail‚ with equally delicate articulation from woodwind and strings‚ and his remarkably spontaneous control of dynamic. Overall this is an irresist­able coupling‚ especially as the conductor observes the first movement exposition repeat in both symphonies‚ which is especially important in the Italian – if we are to hear all the music Mendelssohn wrote. Highly recommended.